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Tornado in Horry County, South Carolina
60 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 60 tornado events in Horry County, South Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 33 years.
September is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 25 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 4.5% of the 1,319 tornado events recorded in South Carolina; its 5.3 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 25 at (E)F0, 22 at (E)F1, 10 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Carolina
| Measure | Horry County | South Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 60 | 1,319 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.3 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.6 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 67 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | September | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
5Apr
4May
5Jun
6Jul
5Aug
7Sep
13Oct
7Nov
3Dec
3
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 60 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Dec 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Oct 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Oct 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $997K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF0 | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $13K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2007 | Tornado | EF1 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F2 | $8.0M | — | — | 39 | County |
| 6 Jul 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 8 Oct 1996 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Nov 1995 | Tornado | F2 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1985 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 8 | County |
| 22 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1982 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1979 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 1979 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 8 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Dec 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 1968 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 24 Nov 1967 | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 7 Oct 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1965 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 46 | County |
| 20 May 1965 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1965 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 1962 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 1960 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1959 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 5 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Horry County had?
60 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Horry County?
17 Dec 2023 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Horry County?
The tornado of 6 Jul 2001, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $8.0M.
How does Horry County compare with South Carolina for tornado?
5.3 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 60 of the state's 1,319 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.